Salman of Saudi Arabia

Not to be confused with King Salmon, Solomon, or Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud.

In this Arabic name, the surname is Al Saud.
Salman
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Photograph of Salman in his 85th year
Salman in 2020
King of Saudi Arabia
Reign23 January 2015 – present
Bay'ah23 January 2015
PredecessorAbdullah
Crown princes
Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia
In office
23 January 2015 – 27 September 2022
Preceded byAbdullah bin Abdulaziz
Succeeded byMohammed bin Salman
Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
18 June 2012 – 23 January 2015
MonarchAbdullah bin Abdulaziz
Prime MinisterAbdullah bin Abdulaziz
Preceded byNayef bin Abdulaziz
Succeeded byMuqrin bin Abdulaziz
Minister of Defense
In office
5 November 2011 – 23 January 2015
Prime MinisterKing Abdullah
Preceded bySultan bin Abdulaziz
Succeeded byMohammed bin Salman
Governor of Riyadh Province
In office
5 February 1963 – 5 November 2011
Appointed byKing Saud
Preceded byBadr bin Saud
Succeeded bySattam bin Abdulaziz
In office
18 April 1955 – 22 September 1960
Appointed byKing Saud
Preceded byNayef bin Abdulaziz
Succeeded byFawwaz bin Abdulaziz
Deputy Governor of Riyadh Province
In office
16 March 1954 – 18 April 1955
Appointed byKing Saud
Preceded byNayef bin Abdulaziz
Succeeded byTurki II bin Abdulaziz
Born (1935-12-31) 31 December 1935 (age 88)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1954; died 2011)​
Issue
Detail
List
Names
Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman
HouseAl Saud
FatherAbdulaziz of Saudi Arabia
MotherHassa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi
SignatureSignature of King Salman

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Arabic: سلمان بن عبد العزيز آل سعود; born 31 December 1935) is King of Saudi Arabia, reigning since 2015, and was also Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2022. The 25th son of King Abdulaziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia, he assumed the throne on 23 January 2015. Prior to his accession, he was Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia from 18 June 2012 to 23 January 2015. Salman is the third oldest living head of state, the oldest living monarch, and Saudi Arabia's first head of state born after the unification of Saudi Arabia. He has a reported personal wealth of at least $18 billion, which makes him the third wealthiest royal in the world.[1]

Salman is a son of King Abdulaziz and Hassa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi, making him one of the Sudairi Seven. He was the deputy governor of Riyadh and later the governor of Riyadh for 48 years from 1963 to 2011. He was then appointed minister of defense. He was named crown prince in 2012. Salman became king in 2015 upon the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. Since January 2024, he is the oldest surviving son of King Abdulaziz.

Salman's major initiatives as king include the Saudi intervention in the Yemeni Civil War, Saudi Vision 2030, and a 2017 decree allowing Saudi women to drive. His seventh son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is considered the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia due to the King's poor health and Mohammed's own political maneuvering.[2] Mohammed replaced his father as prime minister in 2022.[3]

  1. ^ "The power, politics and possessions of the 'world's richest royals'". www.9news.com.au. 3 March 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  2. ^ "King Salman's illness raises concerns and speculations". 16 May 2022. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  3. ^ "9/11 Commission interview with Saudi Prince Bandar released". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 27 October 2023.